Indexing means for a filing or planning system

ABSTRACT

Indexing means with a self-sealing layer, for a filing or planning system which relates, in particular, to a graduated strip for attachment to filing folders, index cards, planning boards or the like and having tabs which are displaceable along the strip.

1 United States Patent 1 1 3,590,51 1

[72] lnventor Egon Heimann [56] References Cited Falkenberg 6]. 5600 Wuppertal-Elberfeld. UNlTED STATES PATENTS 1,473,747 11/1923 Thompson 40/359 APP! 1 584 23s 5 1926 Men er 40/360 221 Filed 061.6,1969 1,692,313 11/1928 Ror1son..... 40/360 [45] Patented July 6, 1971 [32] Prior" Se 26 1969 1,880,549 10/1932 Walker 40/359 [33] y m 2,085,496 6/1937 Guichard 40/360 [3|] P17 863811 3,377,983 4/1968 Gordon-Cooper 116/135 Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michell Assistant ExaminerWenceslao J. Contreras [54] INDEXING MEANS FOR A FILING 0R PLANNING SYSTEM 4 Clams 7 Dnwing ABSTRACT: Indexing means with a self-sealing layer, for a fil- [52] US. Cl 40/359 ing or planning system which relates, in particular, to a gradu- [51] lnt.Cl 842i 21/00 ated strip for attachment to filing folders, index cards, Field of Search 40/16, 64, planning boards or the like and having tabs which are displaceable along the strip.

PATENTFU JUL 6 IHII sum 1 m 2 Fig. 2

Fig.4

NVENTOR INDEXING MEANS FOR A FILING OR PLANNING SYSTEM This invention relates to indexing means for a filing or planning system and, in particular, to a graduated strip for attachment to filing folders, index cards, planning boards or the like and having tabs which are displaceable along the strip.

Graduated strips for use on filing folders may consist of rigid longitudinal rails capable of receiving both a graduated strip and individual tabs which engage around or behind the rails. However, such strips are expensive and take up a lot of space, and connecting a graduated strip to a filing folder is difficult. The same is true of solid rails to which U-shaped tabs may be attached.

In order to obtain a relatively flat and cheap indexing means, a graduated strip may be inserted in a pleat at the edge of a filing folder itself and U-shaped retaining sides of tabs made to engage, on the one hand, over the folded edge thus produced, and on the other hand, around the parallel edge of the pleat section. However, the tab cannot be displaced very satisfactorily because the folded edge does not provide a suffi' ciently sharp-edged guide. This arrangement also has a disadvantage in that the indexing means must be provided on a filing folder. It is also expensive to fastenthe graduated strip itself inside the pleat, which may be effected, for example, by means of welded knubs which pass through holes at the ends of the graduated strip.

It is desirable, therefore, to provide indexing means for a filing system such that, in its simplest and most convenient structural form, it can be connected easily to a filing folder, index card or the like, while, in spite of the fact that it is of simple, light construction, it can be smoothly operated while the adhesion prevents involuntary displacement.

The invention consists in indexing means for a filing system including a first member having an adhesive portion for attaching the first member in spaced relation to a filing folder, index card, planning board or the like and a second member movable on the first member, the second member being formed from a tab, the ends of which are bent towards each other so that the tab is retained on the first member and in use. The ends of the tabs are between the filing folder, index card, planning board or the like and the first member.

An example of indexing means according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a filing folder having a graduated strip,

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the graduated strip,

FIG. 3 is a side view of the graduated strip,

FIG. 4 is a front view of the graduated strip provided with a tab,

FIG. 5 is a side view of the graduated strip provided with the tab,

FIG. 6 is a front view of the top of a filing folder having a" plurality of parallel graduated strip, and

FIG. 7 is a side view of the top of the filing folder shown in FIG. 6.

The graduated strip consists of an elongated rectangular member 1, which is preferably made of transparent material, such as plastics foil of suitable internal stability having longitudinal edges 2 and 3 and a central adhesive strip 4 on its rear face. The longitudinal edges 4' of the adhesive strip 4 extend parallel to the outer edges 2 and 3, and at a distance x from the latter. As a result of this distance x, when the adhesive strip is attached to a filing folder, engagement spaces 5 and 6 are formed between the member 1 and the filing folder.

Retaining sides 7 and 8 of a tab 9 are formed by bending the ends of the tab in so that the tab can be slidably supported on the member 1, the apices l0 and II of the U-shaped bends being in engagement with the edges land 3. Preferably, the

material of the tab also consist of transparent plastics material. The adhesive layer 4 is a self-adhesive and is covered by the protective foil 12. When it is required to attach the graduated strip to a filing folder, the protective foil 12 is removed and the self-adhesive layer 4, which is then uncovered, is pressed onto the filing folder or the like. By matching the thickness of the material of the sides 7 and 8 of the tab 9 to, in particular, the thickness of the self-adhesive layer 4, good adhesion of the tab 9, which can nevertheless be displaced without tilting, may be achieved in any position of displacement.

As shown in FIG. 6, a plurality of graduated strips may be attached to a filing folder in side-by-side and parallel relationship to one another. If, for this purpose tabs 9' are used, the width y of which corresponds to a multiple of the scale graduation of the associated member 1 it is even possible to carry out certain calculating operations using the sliding movements of the tabs.

A tab 9 may also have a tongue which projects beyond the upper edge of the filing folder. Because each tab is guided along the sharp edges 2 and 3 of a member 1 it can be displaced satisfactorily along the member by merely touching it. As can likewise be seen from FIG. 6, the tabs may also be provided with perforations with a view to their displacement with the aid of a suitable object, such as a ballpoint pen or the like. It is also possible for the strip itself to be interrupted in order to obtain a stop for the displacement of the widened tab.

The indexing means according to the present invention thus provides a graduated strip for filing folders, index cards, planning boards or the like which offers considerable advantages in use together with a constructional form which, in respect of the tab also, is extremely simple and economical to produce. The strip may be applied in an extremely simple manner. Because of its small spatial form, it can be supplied in large numbers in a manner which is extremely favorable from a packaging point of view. It also provides an extremely flat structural form when on the filing folder itself. On the other hand, the tabs are guided very successfully on the sharp outer edges of the strip. The engagement spaces formed through the thickness of the adhesion area, more or less supported also by a certain pliability of the material constituting the graduated strip, give rise to a favorable adhesive friction between the tabs. The latter are not displaced involuntarily when the filing folder or index card is in use. Simple supply and handling is especially ensured if the adhesion area consists of a self-adhesive layer with a. covering strip. Smooth, light guidance with correspondingly good adhesion makes it possible to adapt the width of the tabs to a multiple of the scale graduation so that certain calculating operations can be carried out, particularly when a number of graduated strips are arranged side by side in a parallel manner.

Iclaim:

I. Indexing means for a filing system comprising a first member having an adhesive portion for attaching the first member in spaced relation to a filing folder, index card planning board or the like and a second member movable on the first member, the second member being formed from a tab, the ends of which are bent towards each other so that the tab is retained on the first member and, in use,

the ends of the tab are between the filing folder, index card planning board or the like and the first member.

2. Indexing means as set forth in claim 1, wherein the adhesive portion is a self-adhesive layer.

3. Indexing means according to as set forth in claim 2, wherein the first member is a graduated strip made of transparent material.

4. Indexing means according to as set forth in claim 2,

wherein the first member is a graduated scale and the width of the tab corresponds to a multiple of the scale graduation of the strip. 

1. Indexing means for a filing system comprising a first member having an adhesive portion for attaching the first member in spaced relation to a filing folder, index card planning board or the like and a second member movable on the first member, the second member being formed from a tab, the ends of which are bent towards each other so that the tab is retained on the first member and, in use, the ends of the tab are between the filing folder, index card planning board or the like and the first member.
 2. Indexing means as set forth in claim 1, wherein the adhesive portion is a self-adhesive layer.
 3. Indexing means according to as set forth in claim 2, wherein the first member is a graduated strip made of transparent material.
 4. Indexing means according to as set forth in claim 2, wherein the first member is a graduated scale and the width of the tab corresponds to a multiple of the scale graduation of the strip. 